The Trans Papua Road is a national road that connects Jayapura City with 8 regencies in the Central Mountains of Papua. Infrastructure development in Papua is the focus of the government which aims to create justice, reduce income disparities and disparities between regions, as well as reduce high prices in each region. Apart from that, the aim and project is to improve the economy in Papua Province and increase the availability of road networks, considering the Road The Trans Papua Jayapura-Mamberamo section is part of the non-toll road in Papua which is the regional backbone of Papua Island.
Head of the West Papua National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN), Mauluddin Said, said that his party continues to strive to build and maintain Trans-Papuan roads and bridges to facilitate access to tourist attractions in Cendrawasih. The superior programs or jobs that are prioritized on the main Trans Papua route which is under the authority of BPJN West Papua are Trans Papua Segment I and Segment II. These two segments of the National Road cross several tourist attractions in West Papua Province, including Lake Anggi in the Arfak Mountains, Mount Botak in Manokwari, Cenderawasih Bay in Wasior, and Triton Bay in Kaimana. Meanwhile, in Southwest Papua there are Raja Ampat in Sorong), Puncak Petik Bintang and Lake Framu in Maybrat.
The positive impact of development is felt by the community, including the existence of various new economic activities such as settlements, plantations, agriculture and so on, so that it can level the economy because access is opened to all regions.
He explained that one of the interesting tourist attractions in the Land of Cendrawasih is Mount Botak Manokwari. This tourist attraction is like being in a bay surrounded by hilly areas, and a place that is very clear and natural, and is supported by paved road access with stability of 86 percent as of now, and it is predicted that by December 31 2023 the steady condition will reach 89 percent.
Previously, President Jokowi said that infrastructure development in Papua had consumed a large budget. As an economic corridor, the Papua region will receive investment projects based on natural resources, development of special areas, and the creation of new economic centers. Therefore, the active role of the entire community is needed to continue to oversee development in the Land of Papua so that it runs optimally and can have positive benefits for the land of Cenderawasih.
Steps to build infrastructure in Papua will eventually open up regional isolation and increase access and connectivity from land and multimodal, including the construction of the Trans Papua Road with a total length of 3,462 kilometers.
Papua has a lot of potential, both natural resources and human resources, and the government wants the region to be more developed with this potential. So President Jokowi sees this potential by expanding infrastructure development to make Papua even better.
Papua’s infrastructure development only started in 1970, so there has been a development gap in recent years with other provinces in Indonesia. But with massive infrastructure development, it will reduce and equalize Papua with other regions. This infrastructure development can improve the economy in Papua. Starting from the production sector to the distribution of goods and services to the market.
Director General of Highways at the Ministry of PUPR, Heidy Rahadian, said that the focus of road infrastructure development now is to complete the construction of the Jayapura-Wamena section which is targeted for completion before the end of President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) administration in 2024. Meanwhile, the length of the Trans Papua road from Jayapura to Wamena is 575 km, passing through two districts, namely Keerom and Yalimo. The government is opening various options, including Government and Business Entity Cooperation (PPP) in building this project.
The government does not rule out the possibility of opening cooperation with various parties, including the private sector. Moreover, the government claims that the private sector is already interested, considering that the costs of working on this project are very large. As a comparison, the investment value of the Trans-Papua project specifically for the Mamberamo-Elelim segment alone, which is 51.4 km long, costs IDR 3.52 trillion with a concession period of up to 15 years. The investment return scheme is through availability payments or regular payments from the Minister/Head of Institution to the Implementing Business Entity for the availability of infrastructure services.
Infrastructure development in the eastern region of Indonesia shows the seriousness of President Jokowi’s government in advancing Papua. If the infrastructure has been built, it is hoped that the distance between regions and provincial government offices and the people will be closer. So, natural potential can be utilized optimally for the welfare of the indigenous Papuan people. Therefore, full support from the community is needed in developing infrastructure in Papua. The people realized that massive development was being carried out for good purposes and for their progress. With integration and cooperation, infrastructure development will run well and on time.
